Various combinations of tomato fiber and polypropylene are lined up on a bench at the Ford Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn, Mich. Ford seeks to turn tomato skins into floor mats.

Various combinations of tomato fiber and polypropylene are lined up on a bench at the Ford Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn, Mich. Ford seeks to turn tomato skins into floor mats. (Tim Galloway / For The Times)

Ford Motor Co. and H.J. Heinz Co. are working to turn discarded tomato skins into floor mats. This is just one of Ford's efforts to use fewer petroleum-based materials and more sustainable materials, such as soy oil in seat cushions and shredded dollar bills in coin trays.